Brace, Los Angeles. Just how big will the crowds be for next Tuesday's Michael Jackson tribute at Staples Center? On CNN, Jermaine Jackson expressed worry about Staples Center's ability to handle all the fans, telling Larry King: "There's 20,000 people just coming from the U.K." One silver lining, of course, is that an influx of tourism will help the city's struggling hotel industry. As of 9 am this morning, here's what the folks at reservations desks at downtown hotels were saying about bookings for early next week. Looks like the media may snatching up all the rooms. At 10 am, there's an official press announcement about the concert. Updates to follow. UPDATE: Press conference underway. Web site for registering for Jackson tribute tickets is here. LAPD saying that anyone without a ticket won't be allowed to enter the Staples vicinity on Tuesday.
Hotel Figueroa: “Reservations are coming in. Over the last 24 hours, probably about 75 [reservations for people coming to the concert].
Sheraton Los Angeles Downtown Hotel: “We have definitely seen an increase. The biggest pick-up has been from the news media. Particularly the Canadian news media. There’s been an increase in the amounts for Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday. But we also reached out to the media. I would think once the press event today is held, you’ll see the influx of reservations [from people], particularly from overseas, but that’s just my opinion."
Omni Los Angeles Hotel: “I’ve seen about the same, no difference.”
Kyoto Grand Hotel and Gardens: “Plenty of rooms available.”
Kawada Hotel: “So far, we haven’t had any reservations for that.”
The Westin Bonaventure Hotel And Suites: “Almost sold out.”
Millennium Biltmore Hotel Los Angeles: “I got here at 8:30 and let me just tell you I have gotten three calls from CBS News already…we haven’t seen a lot of reservations yet, but it’s still early.”
Standard-Downtown Los Angeles: “It’s normal here in the hotel. Occupancy is pretty normal.”
Mayfair Hotel: “Haven’t seen many calls yet.”
Los Angeles Downtown Marriott Hotel: “I am showing the hotel is close to being sold out.”
· Jackson's Memorial Service Details To Be Announced Friday [MTV]
MARINA DEL REY: It's killing us trying to find out who owns this thing now. What is known: Pier Pointe, that Washington Blvd building development (formerly owned by Lennar) that was (possibly) sold at an auction a few months ago, is now attracting taggers. Ghost building status approaching? More photo evidence here. [Curbed Staff]
LOS ANGELES: A reader takes exception with all the rah-rah bike posts. Fair enough. "All this gleeful talk of bike lockers and hitches! I don't know if this is newsworthy, but some of us stuck working in the Valley have a very different view of LADOT. We get to see the inept side. The L.A. County Bicycle Coalition administers bike lockers for Metrolink stations in the Valley. LACBC seems helpful and responsive, but the actual owner of the lockers is LADOT. As of late 2008, brand spanking new lockers went up. Hooray! Well, guess what. Here we are six months later, and LADOT has still not turned over the keys to LACBC. So the new lockers remain empty while eager bicyclists wait and wait (and drive and drive). So what's up with LADOT? Are they completely unresponsive? A morning of phone calls got me nowhere. Any suggestions on dealing with this faceless bureaucracy? Hint to government agencies: if you want any sympathy in tough financial times, show some accountability! [Curbed InBox]
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The Jackson family just announced that a Michael Jackson tribute will be held at Staples Center on Tuesday, with 11,000 tickets handed out, according to the Los Angeles Times. This news follows as fans, who'd hoped Neverland would hold the event, have to turn around from Santa Barbara and head home. Meanwhile, there have been small, fragmented Jackson celebrations around the city, which raises an important question about LA's public gathering places. When the downtown civic park is built, will that space act as a place for tributes, marches, and rallies? And looking back over the New York Times coverage at the time of some of the tributes to both Elvis Presley and John Lennon (following Lennon's death, about 600 people gathered in Griffith Park), one can see many parallels to what's been going on following Jackson's death. Celebration, some chaos. But tree injuries? Perhaps not in downtown LA. Those ficus are hard to get into.
]]> NYT: 18 August 1977: Presley Fans Mourn in Memphis: Download pdf of story here
The story recounts fans going to Graceland to view Presley's body. "Elvis Presley's fans came to Memphis today by the thousands and thousands to get a last glimpse of their idol. They stood for hours, first in a light rain, later in the hot sun, waiting to see the plump corpse of the great rock and roll singer, neatly laid out in a cream-colored suit."
[cut]
Doris Grant drove 400 miles from Dalton, Georgia, but was turned away weeping when the gates were shut and police began pushing the crowd back. Local television stations had erroneously announced that the viewing would go on into the night and mourners who had flown in from Chattanooga or driven all night from other points were bitterly disappointed.
[cut]
Responding to repeated questions about whether an autopsy had revealed any signs of drug abuse, a coroner said Tuesday that the only drugs he had detected were those that had been prescribed for Mr. Persely's personal physician for hypertension and a blockage of the colon, for which he had been hospitalized twice in 1975."
NYT, 15 December 1980, Silent tribute to Lennon's Memory is Observed Throughout the World. Download the PDF here.
"By far, the largest vigil took place in New York's Central Park, not far from the Dakota apartment building where Mr. Lennon was slain. At least 100,000 people, some of them waiting since Saturday, stretched across the concrete walks and grassy slopes near the band shell and mall at 72nd Street--a gathering that for many evoked memories of antiwar demonstrations held at the same spot in the 1960s.
[cut]
Some, of course, also were there just to be seen, or to drink beer and wine, or to smoke marijuana. Others were out to make a dollar, and John Lennon buttons and T-shirts were selling quickly."
[Cut]
Whatever impelled people to the park, they listened for an hour to music booked from giant speakers straddling the bandshell stage. There, Mr. Lennon stood in portrait, arms folded, wearing a T-shirt that said, "New York City." Mostly they heard Beatles songs, including a few that had been rallying calls a decade ago. When the crowd realized that a number called "All You Need is Love" was beginning, it surged with a charge almost electric in its intensity.
[cut]
About 25 paramedics from the city's Emergency Medical Service were on hand, but they, too, were not kept busy. One man reportedly was bitten by a dog, two people suffered possible drug overdoses, several people fainted from not eating, and a few hurt themselves falling out of trees, including a 10-year-old boy who fractured his ankle."
Pugh + Scarpa shares the details of their Make It Right Foundation duplex design, the plans of which were just released yesterday. MIR's goal is to sustainably build 150 homes in the Lower Ninth Ward in New Orleans--the 14 duplex designs that came out yesterday are part of that mission's second phase. Pugh + Scarpa says their plan, "[S]eeks to redefine the concept of a home into a flexible, multifunctional and adaptable space addressing the needs of today’s modern family, on a limited budget." So what does that translate to? Large front porches accessible from both sides of the building, outdoor cooking and seating areas, internal doorways between the two living spaces, "and a platform just big enough for two rocking chairs to take in the life on the street."
]]> The house is five feet above street-level (one of several storm-resistant features MIR insists on), but the porch extends down to the ground as a way of integrating the home with the neighborhood. The design includes passive solar strategies to beat the New Orleans heat, like protective overhangs, a sloped roof, a double-height living room, and an exposed north side.Pugh + Scarpa also explains why they are designing for the Lower Ninth Ward, a very lowland neighborhood: "The central concept of our new duplex home is the restoration of 'pride of place' to those districts hardest-hit by the hurricane." There's no word on when this particular duplex will break ground, but projects from this phase start construction in August. As of May, eight Make It Right houses were completed and 13 more were underway.
· Dreamy Houses [Curbed LA]
· Brad Pitt Adds LA Architects for New Orleans Building Project [Curbed LA]
More news re: high-speed. Via the AP, today U.S. Senator Harry Reid and California Department of Transportation Director Will Kempton announced that the SoCal-Las Vegas route has been designated a federal high-speed rail corridor, a "a designation that endorses the viability of high-speed train travel in the region," according to the AP, and makes funding easier to secure. Additionally, Reid told the Las Vegas Sun that the DesertXpress train to Victorville, a private project, is moving forward. "Officials hope to break ground in the first quarter of next year, with the project expected to be completed two years later." [AP/Las Vegas Sun]]]>
LA's version of London's skinny house? Located on Wellworth, two blocks south of the intersection of Wilshire and Westwood. Broker Lynn Borland tells us that the property began as apartments, became condos, and recently went from being developer-owned to bank-owned, though five of the 10 units are already occupied (the building went up last year and units first went on sale in late '08). Complications with the bank prevent Borland from releasing specific prices publicly, but he doesn't dispute the front yard sign that says the two bedroom/two and half bath units are going for the mid-600s. Units are about 1,800 square feet and have two subterranean parking spots. Borland described the area as eminently walkable, which we have to agree with, though it only scored a 78 on Walk Score.
· 10911 Wellworth [Official Site]
ABC7 reports that Los Angeles World Airports has introduced a new way for people living near its airports to complain about the noise. WebTrak gives neighbors of LAX, Ontario International, and Van Nuys airports an online noise complaint form for area residents to identify loud (especially loud?) airplanes. Well, what else can you do? Santa Monica's attempt to ban certain noisy types of planes at its airport was shot down by the FAA and the National Business Aviation Administration has come out against a similar ban proposed by Van Nuys Airport. Burbank's Bob Hope Airport has dedicated several years and millions of dollars to a curfew proposal that would prohibit takeoffs and landings between 10 pm and 6:59 am. They submitted new documentation in May and are still waiting for the FAA to weigh in. To top it all off, no one wants anyone else's bans to go through because it will mean more traffic (and more noise) at their airports. [ABC7]]]>
Another look inside two of the homes featured in last weekend's Dwell on Design east side home tour - above are pictures from the Barbara Bestor-designed Baxter House and the John Southern-designed and occupied Work House, both in Silver Lake. The Baxter House, set on a terrifyingly high hill near the reservoir, is what the architects are characterizing as a "virtual remodel." Bestor and co inherited a foundation and footprint, and re-designed the home within those constraints. Not exactly a small footprint, either. The house was huge. Like, seriously huge. We were exhausted by the time we finished touring this house. The house has two distinct wings, with the "interiors...broken into several smaller more habitable zones." The interior design is by Wendy Park.
What are you bringing to the BBQ this weekend? A bottle of pinot grigio? A six pack of Tecate? Nah, bring a scoping report and you will be the life of the party. "The California High Speed Rail Authority recently released a draft scoping report for the San Jose-to-San Francisco segment of the proposed statewide high-speed rail system. The report summarizes more than 950 comments obtained from interested agencies, organizations and individuals regarding environmental protection, alignment and station location alternatives, and land use and property acquisition." [Progressive Railroading]]]>
In January, the Los Angeles Times ran a piece about the renovation of architect Haralamb Georgescu' s 1958 Pasinetti residence in Beverly Hills, recounting how real estate developer Tim Braseth purchased the home back in 2007, and went about doing a series of changes including opening up the galley kitchen, removing the drywall from the fireplace, and much more. If the story noted that "Braseth and his partners are in no hurry to sell," well, the home is now available, listed for $2.295 million. More about the famous home via the Times: "The design of the house, simple and utilitarian, is governed by its geometry: a series of perfect cubes. The main space is a dramatic living room 20 feet wide, 20 feet long and 20 feet high. Another 20-foot cube is set behind the living room and divided horizontally into two floors, with the home's entry and an open loft work space upstairs and a dining area below. A third cube intersects with the second and provides space for the master bedroom and bathroom upstairs and kitchen and guest quarters downstairs. The carport and outdoor deck also are based on 20-foot cubes."
· 1421 SUMMITRIDGE Drive [Redfin]
· Haralamb Georgescu's midcentury Pasinetti house renovated [LA Times]
· 1421 Summit Ridge [Official Site]
Now that a recent report states that tourism and travel is one of LA's biggest economic drivers at this point, let's check in with how all those under-construction hotels are doing. Back in May, it was announced that the spring 2009 opening for Palihouse, the "boutique urban lodge" aka extended-stay hotel at Hollywood and Vine had been pushed back till this summer. Stopping by the site this morning, it looks like project is just about done. So where are we, old friend Pali? Michael Baker at development company By Palisades says that there's been a couple of delays related to financing building department sign-offs. "We've had a hold-up in funding for a number of reasons, but funding has resumed and we are getting people paid," he said, noting the financing resolution just came in the last 24 hours. Meanwhile, it's been "very slow with the final [building] inspections," he adds. And while Baker says that while he doesn't want to give a firm date, but that the opening is "very close." Meanwhile, this project will join the Hollywood W in bringing new units to the area and bunking all those out of towners.]]>
Yet another thing we can't agree at Curbed HQ. A reader passed along this three-bedroom, four-bath house near Griffith Park in Los Feliz and we hoped the interior would be as charming as the exterior. No such luck. The heavy drapery and overabundance of dark wood reminds us of the inside of a very luxurious coffin. Needless to say, we don't necessarily want our home to call to mind our final resting place. We're too young to shuffle off this mortal coil. Yet others around here appreciate the house's aesthetic "cohesiveness." Which sort of echoes the GOP constantly lauding Bush's "consistency." Faint praise, indeed. The listing also notes the "gourmet kitchen with center island with second sink, granite counter tops and polished slate floors, stainless steel appliances such as Bosch double ovens, Thermador cook top and a Gaggenau dishwasher," six patios, and dark hardwood floors. So which one of us is right? It's almost the Fourth, let's celebrate democracy in action. Listing is here.
Back in March, the Santa Monica City Council held an emergency vote to stop new taxi drivers from operating, all part of an attempt to cap the cabbie explosion going on in the city (Santa Monica has more cabs per capita than anywhere else in LA, according to an older Lookout News story). There were also reports that the cabbies were rude to customers and worries the cars were "clogging up the streets," according to the News. Well, now Santa Monica is in the process of drafting a strict new licensing system for its cabs, reports the Santa Monica Daily Press, noting the new competitive bidding process will drastically change the free-for-all way cabs currently operate. Some cabs wanted a medallion system, similar to the system in New York and San Fransisco, but city officials said a medallion system poses problems in "enforcing service standards" so they are going with a licensing system that'll be based on bids. Everything sounds very strict! Tourists, you will no longer have any foul-mouthed cabbie stories to tell back home. Via the SMDP: "In order to even qualify for a franchise license, companies must meet a set of criteria, such as have a minimum fleet size of 25 vehicles, operate a centralized dispatching system, and have drivers who are proficient in English." Additionally, cabbies that are "local, use SULEV or other fuel-efficient cars and offer discounts to seniors and persons with mobility problems." [SMDP]]]>
The Argonaut reports of development afoot in Del Rey: Local developer Merlone Geier says it's looking to break ground next spring on a 244-unit development with 9,000 square feet of retail at 13480 W. Maxella Avenue, near Lincoln Boulevard. Developer Olson Company had the original entitlements on the project, but sold the land to Merloine Geier. Here's Jim Atkins, managing director of developer Merlone Geier Partners on the project: “We hope this will begin to enliven the other side of Maxella, as well as along Lincoln. This parcel of the property is wonderfully located in the center of a great recreational area, with tremendous shopping and great transportation access." In the fact sheet on the project, the developer notes of an "improved architectural design that is pedestrian oriented," compared to the original design. It's looking a little boxy, but then again, the folks at Merlone Geier Partners remind everyone this current design could change. And while they haven't made a formal decision on the project, the Del Rey Neighborhood Council seems mostly supportive of a development going in, reports the Argonaut.
]]> From the fact sheet for the project: In 2006 the City of Los Angeles approved various entitlements to permit the following (Olson Company): * Construct up to a maximum of 244 dwelling units (24 are designated for very-low income);
* Provide approximately 9,000 square feet of retail floor area;
* A maximum building height of 67 feet on Maxella Avenue and 55 feet on Lincoln Boulevard; and
* Limit the combined floor area of all the building to no more than 2.39 times the buildable area of the lot.
PROJECT MODIFICATIONS
The project modifications will substantially comply with the aforementioned approved project, but the adjustments we are making will enhance the development and create a better design for the community. For example:
* Reduces the building footprint to provide greater open space;
* Sustains the permitted number of units at 244 that will create much needed housing opportunities for a mix of incomes;
* Improved architectural design that is pedestrian oriented;
* Conforms to the Design Principles of the Lincoln Boulevard
Community Design Overlay Zone: for example the new building design encourages pedestrian activity along Maxella;
* Sustains the Green goals of the City by seeking LEED Certified;
* A FAR of 2.27 to 1;
* A maximum building height of 70 feet is permitted by code. The project team is seeking a maximum building height of 68.5 feet on Maxella Avenue and 60 feet on Lincoln Boulevard;
* A total of 578 parking spaces which includes 521 residential parking spaces and 57 non-residential parking spaces in accordance with LAMC 12.21 A.4 and .25 guest parking spaces per market rate dwelling unit; and
* 24 units are dedicated to very-low income (50% of the area median income)
· Mixed-use project proposed for part of Villa Marina center [Argonaut]
Marmol Radziner Prefab began installing a custom house in the Hollywood Hills this week, pressing ahead in the face of a whole lot of prefab-uncertainty. Since this house was manufactured, the company announced it's shutting down production of prefab homes at its Vernon factory. Architecture critic Christopher Hawthorne weighed in on prefab's problems in the LA Times a few weeks ago, diagnosing low-volume production as the major problem, and quoting another prefab leader Michelle Kaufmann (who shuttered her business), as saying high-density projects may be the future of the industry. Marmol Radziner Prefab COO Todd Jerry tells us he agrees with Hawthorne that volume is the problem, saying, "The industry isn't developed or mature enough...until you can get volume in lower prices, you aren't able to meet the dreams of the marketplace."
]]> This latest house is called Hollywood Hybrid and it's made up of four interior modules and three deck modules, totaling 3,481 square feet. The price is $720,000, or about $207/sf, which sounds very reasonable--except it doesn't include the land, design, permits, foundation, or any other site costs. Besides being manufactured off-site, the house has green features like insulated windows, recycled denim insulation, radiant heating, and solar panels. Unlike Kaufmann, Marmol Radziner Prefab might not be talking about multi-unit housing, but they are trying to build more efficient, sustainable housing. (And who knows how it'll fare, but they recently announced a Dwell partnership line.) This new prefab is high on a hill near Runyon Canyon.
Neighbors in Mid-City West are wary of a 7-Eleven store proposed for 369 N. Fairfax Avenue, reports the Park La Brea News/Beverly Park News. It sounds like locals are mostly worried about the store's liquor license and the possibility of nefarious characters. "I am deeply trouble by the idea of 7-Eleven moving in there," says Steve Kramer, president of the Miracle Mile Chamber of Commerce, telling the paper that a 24-hour store, and one that has a license for beer and wine, is the "wrong business in the wrong location." Additionally, Andrew Lachman, president of the Mid City West Community Council tells the paper: “We know that 7-Eleven can have a negative impact on the local community,” Lachman said. "There have been problems at the 7-Eleven on Third Street, with them selling liquor to underage people and panhandlers hanging out there...right now our community is on an upswing and we don’t want it to get derailed." One person who seems at least amenable to considering the idea: Joyce Kleifield of the Fairfax Business Association, who says she'd rather see a business go into the mini-mall than have a vacant space, while at least "school-aged children can afford to buy snacks at the place," she says. A rep for 7-Eleven says the community is doing outreach with locals about the store, while there's a July 14 MCWCC Board meeting to discuss the project. [Park La Brea/Beverly Press; PDF]]]>
VENICE: Venice's under-construction Superior At Venice Apartments, a 52-unit, two building development designed by Kanner Architects, has been on the radar for a while, and now...color. This project is located at Venice and Lincoln blvds, kitty corner to architect Eric Owen Moss shedding giant aka the proposed 65-foot high development. [Curbed Staff]
UNIVERSAL CITY: "New bike lockers installed above Universal City Red line stop," writes Curbed reader Loft LA, sending in a photo of the bike lockers. Nifty. This project joins those news Hollywood bike hitches. [Curbed InBox]
TARZANA: Via the InBox, a reader wants to know the latest on the Village at Tarzana. "I live near the construction site on Ventura Blvd and Yolanda in Tarzana and have noticed that they seem to have made some real progress in the last few months. Do you know anything about what's going to be built there? The sign says a Whole Foods but it also seems like there is a lot of other construction such as townhouses and other retail. Do you know anything about the site? What the layout will be? what shops will be there? When it's scheduled to be done? " We will investigate! [Curbed InBox]
]]>
Brad Pitt's Make it Right Foundation, whose goal is to sustainably redevelop New Orleans's Lower Ninth Ward, released 14 duplex plans today, and Architectural Record has the designs. This release follows a set of single-family designs from 2007. As we've noted before, a few Los Angeles area-based architecture firms, Gehry Partners, Kappe Architects, and Pugh + Scarpa, have contributed proposals. Architectural Record writes, "For the most part, the designs sport flexible floor plans, forge a close relationship with street life, and integrate outdoor and landscaped spaces with architecture." Groundbreakings are expected to start as soon as August. [Architectural Record]]]>
What with the holiday weekend about to hit, now is a good time to brush up on latest proposed--and existing--mobile homes. Web Urbanist has rounded up a fascinating group of these futuristic-looking campers, ranging from the Rolling Stone pod (seen above), to the 252° Living Area, a 3-wheeled trailer that is small enough to be towed by a Mini Cooper, but big enough to sleep in. Then there's the SUV of campers, the Colim Modular Camper, described as a "car, a trailer and a motorhome all in one." Wait till the Venice RV set gets a look at these...
· Futuristic Mobile Homes: Trailer Trash or Treasure? [Web Urbanist]
After we posted about the authentically-decorated Hollywood Castle in Beachwood Canyon this morning, our filthy-minded commenters suggested that more than Tom Petty videos have been shot on its lush grounds. Those suggestions are confirmed by co-owner Adam Friedman, who says Playboy and Penthouse have held photoshoots at the castle. Adult movies have also shot at the castle, though he says that was "mostly a long time ago." More recently, Hugh Hefner's exes/"Girls Next Door"'s Holly Madison and Bridget Marquardt filmed their horror flick The Telling at the house. Lesbian vampire movie Blood Scarab and the occasional fetish shoot (NSFW) have used the site too.
Katy Perry's "I Kissed a Girl" video, which is what your grandmother might consider porn, was the most recent notable shoot held at the castle (check out the grotto!). This is Spinal Tap, the video for The Time's "Ice Cream Castles," and Last Comic Standing have also filmed there, proving its impressive well-roundedness.
]]>
· About that Castle in the Hollywood Hills [Curbed LA]
· The Telling [IMDb]
· Katy Perry - I Kissed a Girl (Official Video) [YouTube]
So tired. The Coliseum was just settling in for a long nap after the Lakers excitement, but here we go again: "The L.A. Memorial Coliseum has emerged as a possible site for a planned public memorial for Michael Jackson, city of Los Angeles sources told The Times. The sources, who spoke on the condition that they not be named, said the plans are still fluid but that the Coliseum is a venue being considered." If it's on, bring extra cash for parking. [LA Times]]]>
If you've been following preservation issues in West Hollywood for a while, you likely know the backstory of the Ramona apartments at 1236-1246 N. Harper Avenue. As chronicled in a 2004 Los Angeles Times story, fans of the 86-year-old building pushed to save the development, hanging 'Save the Ramona" signs and talking of the building's architectural significance. In a battle that sounds not only emotional but also political, the courtyard building was deemed historic---but not for its architecture, rather, for its site plan. Given the historical status, site owner and developer GTO is building around The Ramona, putting up 32 condos. Designing the project has "been one of the biggest challenges of my career," architect Ric Abramson of Work/Plays Studio, tells us. Meanwhile, the white Ramona complex will be transformed into 8 units of affordable housing. The whole development, now called The Space on Harper, will be done this fall.
· GTO Development [Official Site]
· Urban Fabric: Destroying the Ramona [WeHo News]
We're sure that's what producer Mike Fleiss (The Bachelor) is hoping for with his new show, There Goes the Neighborhood. Variety is reporting that the reality program, which debuts August 9 on CBS, "has already been drawing attention for the sheer spectacle it has created in suburban Atlanta, where a massive 20-foot wall has enclosed an entire block of homes." Fleiss calls the show a "social experiment" (plot: "With little electricity and no contact with the outside world, the families are forced to reconnect as they face off with their neighbors.") Funny that they chose to shoot in Atlanta rather than the Los Angeles area, where all the Bachelor/ette shows are shot. Wethinks Hancock Park and Beverly Hills would be a bit less amused by that wall. [Photo via Variety] [Daily Variety]]]>
It's a first-ever PriceChopper plus lawsuit update! First, it sounds like a resolution is near in that lawsuit filed against Beverly Hills-based developer Galaxy Commercial Holding by a group of buyers at San Pedro's Vue condo project. You'll recall that buyers couldn't close on the units for financial reasons, so they sued (granted, the suit had some questionable arguments, including fraudulent marketing of the building's views). "A class action was filed, and the class members and the defendants entered into a settlement that was preliminarily approved on May 18th by the judge," Greg Weston, the San Diego-based lawyer for defendants, tells us. "We expect the settlement checks to be mailed in late September." There's a dismissal hearing set for September 17th. According to Weston, the settlement means that buyers will get their deposits back, but the amounts will only be 1/3 of the original deposit amount. The Bluewave Group.'s James McWhorter, one of the real estate agents repping the building, confirms the settlement talks and the 1/3 number. Meanwhile, the building, which is now a rental/sales hybrid creature, dropped prices on about 80 percent of its remaining units. A 700 square foot unit that was listed at $358,364 is now $278,000. McWhorter also adds that roughly 50 percent of the building is now leased.
· 255 W 5th St #701 [Redfin]
· Vue’s Views Bring on Lawsuit in San Pedro [Curbed LA]
Via Metropolis's blog comes word that Monocle has once again left Los Angeles off its list of most livable cities (Honolulu was the only U.S. city to make the cut). But, via the PerfectCity blog, we learn that Los Angeles and its neighborhoods also failed to rank on NeighborhoodScout.com's list of most dangerous neighborhoods. [Metropolis POV, PerfectCity]]]>
There's something so delightfully odd about A-frame houses in Los Angeles. It's as if the architect is expecting a Day After Tomorrow-style apocalypse and we'll need to be prepared in case of heavy snows. This 3,868 square foot three-bedroom, one-and-a-half bath is sited on a hillside, ans the listing notes it "display[s] a colorful pallet of rich hues." The house also features a "three tiered outdoor living/garden...anchored by a large stone fireplace" and "period detailing to include parquet floors, and a dramatic steel-rod suspended staircase." The master bedroom has its own enclosed patio. The last sale price was $460,000 in April 2003 (the prior sale price was $263,500 in Jan 2001). Today's asking price: $649,000 or $427 per square foot.
· 559 Milton Ct Los Angeles, CA 90065 [Redfin]
If you're thinking of buying a condo downtown, you're better off waiting 12-24 months to purchase, writes Fred Cordova, a Senior Vice President with commercial consulting company Colliers International, in a guest editorial on Blogdowntown. Cordova's two main arguments: 1. The market won't recover until unemployment levels improve. 2. The frozen credit markets may have essentially killed projects like Roosevelt Lofts and The Brockman, which simply suffered from "bad timing," according to Cordova, but once these distressed properties find new owners, buyers will have the upper hand. "Once these projects run out of reserves and are taken back by the lenders — or in some cases the lender is in trouble (like Corus Bank with the Concerto) — fresh capital will come in to recapitalize the projects at 50% to 60% of their construction cost. The new buyer, armed with a low capital structure, will be able to drive rents or condo pricing to levels that the existing owners will have to follow if they want to move product. A real-time example is the Kennedy Wilson/LeFrak/Guardian Life Insurance Company acquisition of The Mercury from Forest City. They are now selling units for 40% of the previous asking prices." (Indeed, The Mercury's new owners recently said they'd now be selling condos that had started in the mid-$300,000s in the low $200,000s.) Counterpoint? Blogdowntown is likely already getting angry rebuttals to this argument from downtown real estate agents. [Blogdowntown]]]>
The San Jose Mercury-News is reporting that an appeals court has barred state officials from tapping public transit funds for other programs, which the state was doing to help balance the budget. "Department of Finance spokesman H.D. Palmer said Tuesday's decision by the 3rd District Court of Appeal could force the state to repay about $3.4 billion. That's the amount it has diverted or plans to divert from the Public Transportation Account over three fiscal years." Palmer is not pleased, saying the administration would appeal to the state supreme court and ask the appeals court to stay its decision pending the outcome. The ruling came from a lawsuit filed by the California Transit Association. If ultimately successful, it could take back $2.5 billion the state has taken from the transit fund since 2007 and $952 million the administration is planning to use in the fiscal year that starts today. [Gold Line pic via Light Rail Now]
[Via the hollywood castle]
If you have royal aspirations and $30,000 a month to drop on rent, have we got a place for you. The seven-bedroom, six-bathroom Hollywood Castle, built in 1974, is available for filming and short- and long-term rentals, and they are not joking about the "castle" part. The home, located at 3030 Hollyridge Drive, has an honest to goodness moat and turrets, and is decorated with medieval staples like suits of armor, swords, and hawks (they probably forgot to mention the oubliette in the listing). "We do a lot of videos and still photography [here]," Adam Friedman, one of the owners, tells us. Friedman says his dad, who has since passed away, built the home in 1974. "He built it because he always had a dream to have a castle." Meanwhile, the one-acre lot has a grotto, ponds, waterfalls, and a gazebo. Bonus: parts of Tom Petty's "Into the Great Wide Open" video were shot here, which means Johnny Depp has touched it.
· $29999 / 7br - Castle in the Hollywood Hills [Craigslist]
· the hollywood castle [MySpace]
As part of its Ask a Curator series, LACMA's blog explores how the museum installed those giant steel Richard Serra sculptures on the ground floor of the Broad Contemporary. We already knew individual pieces traveled across the country on flat bed trucks and were parked on the grass until they installed them, but Lynn Zelevansky, LACMA’s department head of contemporary art (and owner of this Buff & Hensman for sale in Beverly Hills), explains more about the process: "Then each piece was brought into the building by crane (the divisions between the parts are visible as lines that run from the top to the bottom of the work), through the barn doors on the first floor. The process of putting Sequence together went surprisingly quickly; it only took a few days. Once the work was complete, the doors were shut and the opening covered over, making it indistinguishable from the rest of the wall on the inside." You can submit your questions to curators via their Facebook and Twitter pages. [Photo by flickr user jcruelty]
Bob the Builder may not be working on many new condo projects these days, but he is building roads. Via Reuters: "U.S. construction spending fell 0.9 percent in May to the lowest rate in more than five years, with the economic stimulus plan passed in February providing little relief in public construction, according to Commerce Department data released on Wednesday." Notably, the newswire points out that despite the $787 billion stimulus package, which was supposed to spur public works projects, public construction dropped 0.6 percent. Related: This past Monday, Smart Growth America, a city planning coalition, released a report detailing how well each state is handling its transportation stimulus money. According to Reuters, the group is critical that the bulk of federal money is going towards highway repairs and building new roads, while about 6 percent of the money goes towards public transit: The group found that "62.9 percent of funding had gone to highway repairs, and 31.3 percent, or $6.69 billion, was dedicated to building new roads." "Given our huge road and bridge repair backlog and inadequate public transportation system, $6.6 billion for new highway capacity just doesn't make sense,' said the coalition's president, Geoff Anderson, in a statement. 'It's like adding a new wing to your house when the roof is falling in." [Reuters/Reuters]]]>
MID-WILSHIRE: Via the Architecture + Design Museum's Facebook page, interior construction shots of the museum's new home on Wilshire. The museum is expected to move into its new space at 6032 Wilshire Blvd this fall, after it vacated its former space at 5900 Wilshire earlier this year. It was reported that Richard Meier & Partners and Gensler will donate design work services. While they aren't mentioned on the Facebook page, design/build company Hinerfeld-Ward, Turner Construction, and Minardos Group are thanked. [Facebook]
WILSHIRE CORRIDOR: Via the Inbox: "Curbed, I think that Belmont Village, that oldies homes is done. Drove by and it looked finished or nearly so. " We wrote about that new senior living facility, located between Warner Avenue and Holmby Avenue (it'll provide 172 units) last summer, noting that the home was supposed to be finished in summer 2009, so perhaps it's done. Hope those oldies are happily moved in. [Curbed InBox]
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Michael Maltzan is the proving himself to be the Michael Phelps of architecture. His Inner-City Arts project downtown near Skid Row, an arts education center, was recently awarded the Gold Medal Award for Urban Excellence by the Rudy Bruner Foundation. The award comes "with a $50,000 prize that will go toward arts instruction programs for ICA students." The ICA complex offers classes in the arts to students from a number of public schools, allowing them to interact with professional artists in a studio environment. It serves up to 16,000 at-risk students per year at no cost to the student. The project has been ongoing since 1993, with the third and final phase completed last fall, adding a library, learning center, 99-seat theater and more administrative space. [Photo by flickr user sonambula][Culture Monster]]]>
It's being blamed on a computer glitch, but the California Association of Realtors (CAR) has egg on its face after a lawyer raised questions about the home sales in California, specifically in San Diego, reports the Wall Street Journal. After reporting that San Diego sales in April were up about 63% from a year earlier, those numbers will be revised to a gain of about 20%. "For May, the group reported an 89% increase in sales in San Diego; that will be slashed to about 6.5%, the economist said." As a result, state-wide sales are expected to be revised. [WSJ]]]>
The City Controller's office released an audit of El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument last week, and the results are conclusive: The tourist site at the nucleus of Los Angeles isn't so great with money. According to the Downtown News, El Pueblo, which operates as a city department, holds 55-year leases for 17 tenants, but only has concession agreements with 57 more. El Pueblo is charging all of them well below market rate for the space and undercharging for maintenance fees--and that's just the renters they know about. The report says that 19,000 square feet are being used by nonprofit groups who pay no rent at all, and many business owners are unauthorized, having bought their concession agreements from former tenants. All the mismanagement cost the city $921,000 in subsidies for fiscal year 2007-08. The El Pueblo Board of Commissioners seem to mostly be taking the audit in stride. Only one, David Louie, who has been pushing for the site to raise rents, told the Los Angeles Downtown News he had read the report. President Herbert Siguenza told the paper, "We know about the leases that were not up to market value, we’re working on them along with our general manager, along with the council member, along with the city, so ultimately it’s going to be their decision what those fees are." The report follows earlier calls for El Pueblo to get its financial act together. [Via sandi.sandi.sandi] 
A reader writes: "Was perusing today's listing of Broker Open houses and came across two curious "For Lease" open houses at the Patio Del Moro apartments on Fountain Ave in WeHo supposedly leased / occupied by Charlie Chaplin and "his lover" Paulette Goddard." Lord knows Chaplin lived in many, many apartments in Los Angeles, but the interesting things about these listings, which are adjoining, are 1. They're fully furnished. 2. According to the listing, the unique entryways in the 1925 building had "multiple entrances and exits that would serve Chaplin’s needs to visit his then mistress Paulette Goddard who occupied the adjoining also two story apartments." The Chaplin unit, a three-bedroom, is listed for $4,500. Blogger Ugly Angel also has covered this building, noting that "pink Moorish-fortress"-like building was frequented by Joan Fontaine, Humphrey Bogart, and Suzanne Pleshette.
· 8235 Fountain Avenue [Redfin]
The L.A. Creek Freak blog reports on yesterday's groundbreaking ceremony for the Elysian Valley portion of the Los Angeles River Bike Path, which will run along the river from Fletcher Drive to Barclay Street, extending the existing Glendale Narrows path. The project has been held up for ten years, mostly in securing 66 right-of-way easements. Cyclists are happy, of course, but this is good news for river conservationists, too. The new bike path should be ready to go in early 2010, and is only Phase 1C for the Los Angeles River bike path, future plans include a Valley section, as explained by L.A. Creek Freak. There's more on yesterday's events from City Councilmember Ed Reyes's blog. [Photo via L.A. Creek Freak] [L.A. Creek Freak]]]>
This one-bedroom, one-bath cottage in Glassell Park has caused a deep rift at Curbed HQ. We can't seem to agree on whether it's fairly priced or not. It's yet another issue we might have to politely agree to disagree on. Like our feelings about LA's billboard regulations. And our antipathy towards Michael Bay movies. (These are just the arguments we've had today). But on to the listing. Located in Glassell Park (or maybe Mt. Washington, yet another thing we can't agree on today), the cottage features original windows, laundry hook-ups, natural light, and a small side yard. There's also a parking space included. The monthly rent is $1,495 which we think might be somewhat overpriced for the location, but what really annoys us is the additional costs. Pet deposit is $250, which is pretty standard. Tenants can also rent an additional parking space for an extra $50 per month, and extra storage costs $100 per month. Kind of nickel and diming, no? At least the security deposit is just one month's rent. 
Thomas J. Barrack Jr., head of Colony Capital, the Century City firm that now owns Neverland (Michael Jackson was also a part owner), has sent out a pretty emotional--in an uplifting way--letter to the Santa Barbara community today (by way of the the local press), asking basically for patience and support in handling the expected throngs of people that will be coming to Neverland, Jackson's former ranch in Santa Barbara. Here's the part about Neverland's future, but it's worth reading the whole letter. The guy sounds pretty decent. And he sounds like a poet. "The consideration of the future of the Neverland property will be addressed in due time through normal process and with appropriate deliberation. Right now, the imperative is to be responsive at a sensitive moment in which the world is watching us and observing our conduct as we mourn the loss of one of our own long-time residents." As far as that CNN rumor that Jackson's body will be on view this weekend at Neverland, Owen Silver, who has the unenviable job of handling Colony's PR, tells us he has no independent confirmation that this is true.]]>
The windswept face of Grass Mountain and the oak tree studded hills of the Santa Ynez Valley are once again the backdrop for a global drama of epic proportion. Michael Jackson has died at the age of 50 on the eve of a universal comeback.
As his family, friends and millions of fans across the globe seek outlets in which to express their grief, Michael’s only true home, the Neverland Ranch, has become a temporary sanctuary where fans and family can still feel the presence of his kind and compassionate soul.
The universal curiosity about Neverland and its connection to Michael is an unchangeable fact. How grieving fans are treated as they arrive to pay their respects will be viewed with great interest by the world. As we all know, the impressions left by Michael’s last interaction with Santa Barbara County were not positive.
Consequently, I would like to simply frame the issue upon which we all need to focus: It is a reality that the world will quickly descend on Santa Barbara and Neverland as fans continue to grieve, and as Michael’s legacy gains perhaps more appreciation after his death than during his life.
We must be prepared for the fact that visitors and fans will come, with or without permission or an invitation. As a consequence, all actions being taken at the moment are aimed at creating a well thought out and coordinated plan amongst the family, the Sheriff, the County regulatory agencies, the fire department, local proprietors, local press, local residents and the Highway Patrol to protect and preserve the interests of all constituencies.
We must also prepare to accommodate Michael’s family’s wishes as they contemplate the location of his final resting place and their own return to the tranquil grounds of the Michael Jackson family compound.
Michael Jackson was accused, tried and acquitted in our county and found innocent on all counts. As Michael’s final arrangements are planned, his family’s wishes should be welcomed by this county with open arms. Let’s adopt an attitude of hospitality, warmth, and tolerance and allow the world to pay their respects to this global icon by conducting ourselves with grace and elegance.
The consideration of the future of the Neverland property will be addressed in due time through normal process and with appropriate deliberation. Right now, the imperative is to be responsive at a sensitive moment in which the world is watching us and observing our conduct as we mourn the loss of one of our own long-time residents.
I have been a horse rancher and farmer in the Santa Ynez Valley for more than three decades and have raised my children to continue the legacy of stewardship and preservation that we all value so highly in this magical valley.
Our peaceful pastures are imbued with a Western tradition of kindness and hospitality, free of fence lines or locked gates. We further flourished from the legacy of a strong Chumash culture and civilization which became the footprints remaining in the minds of all those who visited this majestic world. This is our chance to teach the world what “mi casa es su casa” really means.
Padre Junipero Serra, pioneer California missionary, described the future site of Santa Barbara as a "dismal and treeless" place when he first saw it in April 1782. It has taken the work of generations of dedicated people to create a county known throughout the world for its beauty. Let us all keep in mind that reputations are earned in decades and lost in moments of haste and bad decisions.
Let us allow the world and our visitors to taste a few drops of the magic elixir that is the metaphysical mix between the beautiful Santa Ynez Valley sculpted by the soft hands of God, and the warm and kind environment crafted by the hands of its residents.
Call us jaded, all these apartment complexes are starting to look alike. By 2020, will the city look like one giant creamsicle of mid-level apartment complexes? Perhaps this one rising at 8525 Pico Bvld will manage to break through the banality and actually look interesting in the end. According to the flier, this project was developed by Fred Kimabakhsh and designed by local firm Plus Architect (that's per planning documents, so perhaps the architect changed). A 39-unit apartment building with 7,500 square feet of retail and 38 parking spots (in the rear and subterranean), this one is supposed to be done by 2010 (assuming there are no delays). Download the flier here.
· 8525 Pico Blvd [Google Maps]
Ever since reading that architect Craig Ellwood was considered the Cary Grant of architecture ("Married to a movie star, his second wife, and driving Ferraris and Lambourghinis, he was as stylish as his architecture"), we perk up when an Ellwood hits the market. Enter stage left: 909 N. Beverly Glen. "Craig Ellwood's 1949 Broughton House is a bold precursor of his Case Study designs. Modular construction and Miesian styled steel beams support curtain windows that draw light and afford hillside views. Two bedrooms and a bathroom on main level and third bed and bath below adjacent to car port. " Crosby Doe has the listing for the roughly 1,660 square foot home (it looks it's not yet on the Guest portion of the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), and the owners are asking $885,000. This Ellwood joins that other Ellwood home hanging around Brentwood.
· Crosby Doe [Official Site]
Santa Monica has a history of spending a lot of time and energy on its public garages, so this news isn't particularly surprising: The City Council's latest scheme, which is expected to be approved at tonight's meeting, is to make over two of the city's shortest lots, Lot Six at Second Street near Santa Monica and Lot One at Fourth Street near Wilshire, reports the Santa Monica Daily Press. But there's no swanky architecture firm like Pugh + Scarpa or Moore Ruble Yudell attached to the project; Morley Construction will handle the architecture, engineering, and building. The structures will be demolished and rebuilt in succession (to maximize available parking), and the new buildings rising from the ashes will have up to 250 more parking spaces each. But how could the anti-car crowd complain? The plan includes bicycle storage and ground floor retail, which the City Council assures will "activate the sidewalk." And the new structures will be powered by increasingly de rigueur solar panels, which is totally green.
· Downtown structures to be demolished [Santa Monica Daily Press]
· Santa Monica Approves Pugh + Scarpa Parking Garage Designs [Curbed LA]
· Santa Monica Parking Garage Nearly Done [Curbed LA]
Wow, there are a LOT of Schindlers on the market. The Van Dekker Residence in Woodland Hills. The How House in Silver Lake. The Purviance House is still for rent in Silver Lake. And the Buck House is also for rent - now reduced. It's like LA is having a Schindler-themed going out of business sale. EVERYTHING MUST GO! Add another home designed by architect R.M. Schindler to the mix. Not yet on the MLS, Schindler's treehouse duplex, the DeKeyser near Highland Ave, is on the market. This isn't the JOHN DeKeyser duplex sold three years ago (after multiple price reductions it finally received multiple offers and closed at $1 million). This is the PETER DeKeyser duplex next door, built by John's brother.
]]> Confused yet? According to broker Brian Linder, Schindler worked on both DeKeyser duplexes as well as Frank Lloyd Wright's Freeman House next door. "Lore has it that he was having an affair with Mrs. Freeman while working on the project, and he even built an apartment for himself (which is still intact) on the lower level of the Freemen House." But we digress.After working on the Freeman House, John DeKeyser hired Schindler to work on his "Double Residence" completed in 1935. Around the same time, Peter hired Schindler to renovate his 1920s-era bungalow, situated between the Freeman house and his brother's duplex.
Like the John DeKeyser duplex, this one has many of the same challenges. The house is only accessible by foot (no driveway, no garage, no parking) for one. With no parking on Highland, occupants have to park on Glencoe and trudge down the path to the duplex. Also, since the site is land-locked, there's no possibility of building a driveway unless the owner also buys an adjacent parcel.
And its proximity to the Freeman House means owners will need to bear with the ongoing restoration which has no end in sight. So it takes a true Schindler fan to want to live there. On a more positive note, the duplex was recently renovated, and the upper two-bedroom, one bath has continuous hardwood decks and french doors that open to the views. It also have new finishes, fixtures and appliances. The lower apartment has "rich wood paneling, a working fireplace and its own private patio." Asking price: $795,000.
· Curbed LA Pricechopper: Our Property Guru Weighs in on DeKeyser [Curbed LA]
· Curbed LA Pricechopper: DeKeyser Reduced [Curbed LA]
The piper is coming to get paid: The half-percent increase in our sales tax that will fund Measure R, which provides tens of billions for additional transit lines and freeway improvements, begins tomorrow. LA County residents will now pay a 9.75 percent sales tax. According to the Daily News, "Voters had approved Measure R several months before Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger imposed a 1 percent state sales tax - which began April 1 and will expire in 2011 - to help whittle down California's $24 billion dollar deficit." Here's how it may affect some sample purchases: "The additional half-percent sales tax means an extra penny for a $3.25 medium-sized Starbucks latte. It means an extra $7.50 for a $1,500 plasma TV with a 50-inch screen. It adds $96 to the price tag of a basic Mini Cooper car selling for $19,200." You have less than 24 hours to make all your big purchases, so get a move on. [Daily News]]]>
More setbacks for both local developer CIM and Reseda: Last year, news surfaced that CIM Group had agreed to renovate the abandoned Reseda Theater, a deal that involved a partnership with the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA). But one market crash later, and CIM, which has numerous (and sometimes questionably dubious) partnerships with the city, is now saying that it cannot finance the deal, reports the San Fernando Valley Business Journal.
]]> Via the Journal: "The developer, CIM Group, owner and operator of venues such as the Kodak Theater and the Hollywood and Highland Shopping Center, has said it wants to continue to partner with the CRA in this project nonetheless, and the parties are finalizing the details of a new agreement to try to move forward with construction in the tough economic climate, according to [CRA exec Jay] Virata." According to the Journal, CIM has committed $3.25 million towards the total $8.7 million renovation cost, while the CRA has committed $4.35 million. City Councilman Dennis Zine says he's frustrated by the fact that the theater, which was badly damaged in the Northridge earthquake, hasn't yet been renovated. As the paper notes, the community had hoped for a revival similar to the one seen in Canoga Park after the Madrid Theater was renovated.